Apparatus for lifting bottles



June 15, 1954 F. GEORGE APPARATUS FOR LIFTING BOTTLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 21, 1951 Inventor My? MMW A Attorney June 15, 1954 F. e. GEORGE APPARATUS FOR LIFTING BOTTLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 21, 1951 i. Attorney:

Patented June 15 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,681,247 APPARATUS FOR LIFTING BOTTLES Frank Gerald George, Wembley, London, England, assignor of one-half to Express Dairy 00. (London) Limited, London, England, a British company Application November 21,

1951, Serial No. 257,460

Claims priority, application Great Britain November 30, 1950 Claims.

with the result that bottles disposed in these said corner compartments are not readily removable in a vertical direction. Further, certain known types of crates tend to distort with use, with the result that bottles disposed therein do not stand vertically upright.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple lifting apparatus which is more eflicient than known lifting apparatus for lifting milk bottles out of such known types of crates.

According to the present invention an apparatus for lifting bottles comprises, in combination, a first frame structure, a second frame structure, a connection of variable length interconnecting said frame structures and means to vary the length of said connection to elfect telescopic movement of one frame structure relaframe structure, a plurality of spaced parallel gripping rods passing through said slots and lying in a plane substantially at right angles to said given direction, each of said gripping rods passing through at least two slots in said first frame structure and through at least two slots in said second frame structure, the corresponding slots in said first and second frame structures for each gripping rod extending in different directions such that displacement of said frame structures in one direction relatively to one another displaces the gripping rods towards one another to grip the necks of a row of bottles and displacement of said frame structures in the opposite direction displaces said gripping rods away from one another to release the necks of the row of bottles.

The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation in section of a preferred form of apparatus according to the present invention, for lifting milk bottles from a crate, the apparatus being in the operative position,

Fig. 2 is a corresponding part sectional plan view of the apparatus taken along the line II-II of Fig. l, the apparatus being in the operative position,

Fig. 3 is a part end view taken along the line III-III of Fig. 1, the apparatus being in the operative position, and

Fig. 4 is a similar end view, the apparatus being in the inoperative position.

In the drawings, an apparatus is shown for lifting milk bottles from a crate, said crate having four'rows of bottles, each row having five bottles.

A bridge member Ii) is suspended, by means of a chain [9a, from a suitable overhead lifting apparatus (not shown).

An upper frame member is suspended from the bridge member ill by means of. a connection of variable length. The upper frame member comprises a top plate H and dependent end plates l2 welded thereto. The said connection includes a piston rod lilb fixed at its upper end to the bridge member It having a piston (not shown) at its lower end and inside a cylinder I la mounted on the top plate H of the upper frame member. The cylinder l I a is connected (by means not shown) to a source of compressed air associated with a control mechanism therefor (not shown) to raise or lower the main frame member relative to the bridge member ill.

The end plates 12 have channel support brackets I2a at the lower ends.

A lower frame member is attached to and supported by the upper frame member, and comprises end plates I 3 (forming supporting members for gripping-rods, as will be seen hereafter) and side plates l 4 welded thereto. The side plates M have guide flanges Ma along their lower edges. Flanges at the upper ends of the end plates 13 engage in the channel support brackets 82a and are detachably secured therein by means of captive locking pins 522) (one only of which is shown), which pass through aligned apertures in the support brackets Ma and the said flanges. of the end plates l3.

Two pairs of columns we depend from the bridge member Ill. The columns pass through apertures in the top plate ll of the upper frame member. The columns I to have channel support brackets ltd at their lower ends and these brackets are secured to the columns by tapered pins as shown in Fig. 1.

Unions (5 have flanges at their upper ends which engage in the channel support brackets 10d, in like manner to the engagement between l2, l3 hereinbefore described. Longitudinal and transverse rods it, ll, respectively, are intercoupled by the unions iii.

The transverse rods 51 are coupled by unions i8 to longitudinal rods iii. The rods l and lil pass through vertical slots l3a in the end plates I3.

Four slings 2B are pivotally connected at their upper ends to each longitudinal rod l9 and spaced apart longitudinally to be disposed between each bottle of each row. Each sling has a strip member 2601 bolted thereto by bolts Zllb and shaped to provide a pair of upwardly and outwardly inclined slots 290, the lower ends of the slots changing direction so as finally to lie parallel with one another.

The slings ill support pairs of gripping-rods 2| which pass through the slots Etc. The gripping-rods also pass through horizontal slots 13b in the end plates l3. Rectangular slipper blocks 2la are fixedly mounted on each gripping-rod 2! adjacent the end plates is and ride in transverse guide flanges l3c on said end plates E3 to prevent longitudinal and rotational displacement of the gripping-rods 2 l. The gripping-rods 2| are curved at opposite ends to prevent the end bottles of each row from falling off the gripping-rods, as will be appreciated hereinafter.

in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the apparatus is seen in conjunction with a crate 22 and bottles 23 therein.

In the inoperative position of the apparatus, the upper and lower frame members are disposed in the uppermost position relatively to the bridge member. In this position the gripping-rods 2i are disposed at the outer ends of the horizontal slots 31) and at the upper ends'of the upwardly and outwardly inclined slots Elle.

in operation, the apparatus is displaced by means of the overhead lifting apparatus to a position directly over the crate 22, such that the guide flanges l ia contact the sides of the outer rows of bottles. In this position of the apparatus, the gripping-rods lie adjacent the necks of the bottles. The control mechanism for the compressed air is then actuated to displace the piston (on the piston rod iilb) upwardly inside the cylinder ii. The upper and lower frame members are accordingly displaced downwardly away from the stationary bridge member ill and relatively to the slings All.

The gripping-rods 2i are accordingly displaced to the lower ends of the inclined slots Ziic and to the inner ends of the horizontal slots 13b, to grip the necks of the bottles. When the rods are in this position they become locked in the parallel ends of the slots 2H0 as shown in Fig. 3.

The apparatus is then raised by means of the overhead lifting apparatus to withdraw the bottles from the crate.

It will be appreciated that the gripping-rods 2i so grip the necks: of the bottles as to permit a degree of pivoting of the latter thereon. Such pivoting permits the bottles to be withdrawn at an angle to the vertical, in the event that the upper edges of the outer walls of the corner bottle compartments overhang into the said compartments.

To release the bottles from the apparatus, the control mechanism for the compressed air is the end plates actuated to cause reverse movement of the upper and lower frame members relatively to the slings 20.

It will be appreciated that the bridge and upper frame member form an upper unit from which may be removed, as a separate unit, the lower frame member together with the unions l5, slings 20 and parts associated therewith (including the gripping-rods 2|). Alternative said second mentioned units having gripping-rods for lifting other numbers of bottles and in other dispositions (for example disposed in five rows, each row having six bottles) may be employed with a common upper unit.

I claim: 7

1. An apparatus for lifting bottles including in combination a bridge member, a sling connected to the bridge member, a pair of spaced parallel gripping-rods, a pair of supporting members spaced apart longitudinally of the grippingrods, the supporting members and the sling being slotted to receive the gripping-rods, the slots of the sling being at an angle to the slots of the supporting members, the supporting members and sling being disposed parallel to one another, a connection of variable length interconnecting the supporting members and the bridge member, and pneumatic means to vary the length of said connectionwhereby to displace the supporting members relatively to the sling such that displacement in one direction displaces the gripping-rods towards each other to grip the necks of a row of bottles, and such that displacement in. the opposite direction displaces the grippingrods away from each'other to release the necks of the row of bottles.

2. An apparatus for lifting bottles including in combination a bridge member, a sling connected to the bridge member, a pair of spaced parallel gripping-rods, a pair of supporting members spaced apart longitudinally of the gripping-rods, the supporting members and the sling being slotted to receive the gripping-rods, the slots of the sling being at an angle to the slots of the supporting members, the supporting members and sling being disposed parallel to one another, a pneumatically operable piston and cylinder connecting device interconnecting the supporting members and the bridge member and to displace the supporting members relatively to the sling such that displacement in one direction displaces the gripping-rods towards each other to grip the necks of a row of bottles, and such that displacement in the opposite direction displaces the gripping-rods away from each other to release the necks of the row of bottles.

3. An apparatus for lifting bottles comprising, in combination, at least two spaced parallel gripping rods, a plurality of sling members spaced longitudinally of the rods and having slots therein for the passage therethrough of said gripping rods, supporting members also spaced longitudinally of the gripping rods and having slots therein for the passage therethrough of said gripping rods, the slings and supporting members being disposed substantially parallel to one another and substantially at right angles to said gripping rods, means rigidly connecting said supporting members, the slots in the slings and the slots in the supporting members extending in directions enabling the gripping rods to move inwardly towards one another to a position where they grip the necks of a row of bottles and to withdraw outwardly from one another to a position where they release the bottles, and the slots in the sling members also extending in a direction different to the direction of the slots in the supporting members, said sling and said supporting members being limitedly displaceable in an upward and downward direction relatively to one another, movement of said supporting members relatively to said slings in one direction causing said gripping rods to traverse along said slots in said slings and supporting members and be moved towards one another into bottle-gripping position, movement of said supporting members in the other direction relatively to said slings causing said gripping rods to traverse: in the reverse directions along said slots and be moved away from one another out of the bottle-gripping position, extensible and contractable means interconnecting said slings and supslings.

4. An apparatus for lifting bottles comprising, in combination, at least two spaced parallel grip ping rods, a plurality of sling members spaced longitudinally of the rods and having slots therein for the passage therethrough of said gripping rods, supporting members also spaced longitudinally of the gripping rods and having slots therein for the passage therethrough of said gripping rods, the slings and supporting members being disposed substantially parallel to one another and substantially at right angles to said gripping rods, means rigidly connecting said supporting members, the slots in the slings and the slots in the supporting members extending in directions en abling the parallel gripping rods to move inwardly towards one another to a position where they grip the necks of a row of bottles and to withdraw outwardly from one another to a position where they release the bottles, and the slots in the sling members being at an angle to the slots in the supporting members, whereby to permit of limited relative displacement in an upward and downward direction between said slings and supporting members and whereby to cause said gripping rods to move into and out of bottle-gripping position simultaneously with said relative upward and downward displacement, extensible and contractable means interconnecting said slings and supporting members for guiding them during said limited relative displacement, and power operated actuating means for varying said extensible and contractable interconnection so as to efiect said relative displacement such that the displacement in one direction causes the gripping rods to approach one another to grip the necks of a row of bottles and such that the displacement in the opposite direction causes the gripping rods to withdraw from one another to release the bottles clue to the angular relationship of the slots of the slings and the slots in the supporting members.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which the slots in the supporting members are substantially horizontal and the slots in the sling incline downwardly towards one another and then change direction so as finally to lie parallel to one another.

6. An apparatus for lifting bottles comprising, in combination, a first frame structure, a second frame structure, a connection of variable length interconnecting the first frame structure and the second frame structure, means to vary the length of said connection to cause movement of said frame structures relatively to one another in a given direction, a pair of spaced parallel gripping rods extending in a direction at right angles to said given direction, at least two gripping rod receiving slots formed in said first frame structure for each gripping rod, at least two gripping rod receiving slots formed in said second frame structure for each gripping rod, the slots in said first frame structure for each gripping rod extending in a direction different from those in said second frame structure for the same gripping rod, each of gripping rods being received in at least two slots in said first frame structure and in at two slots in said second frame structure such that displacement of said rst frame structure in one direction relatively to said second frame structure displaces said gripping rods towards one another to grip the necks of a row bottles and such that displacement of said first frame structure in the opposite direction displaces the griprods away from one another to release the necks of the row of bottles.

Y. An apparatus for lifting bottles comprising, in combination, a first frame structure, a second frame structure, a connection of variable length interconnecting said frame structures and. means to vary the length of said connection to efifect telescopic movement of one frame structure rela tively to the other in a given direction, a plurality of slots formed in said first frame structure, a plurality of slots formed in said second frame structure, a plurality of spaced parallel gripping rods passing through said slots and lying in a plane substantially at right angles to said given direction, each of said gripping rods passing through at least two slots in said first frame structure and through at least two slots in said second frame structure, the corresponding slots in said first and second frame structures for each one another to release the necks of the row of bottles.

8. An apparatus for lifting bottles comprising, in combination, a first frame structure, a second frame structure, spaced supporting members on said first frame structure, spaced slings on said second frame structure, said supporting members and said slings being disposed substantially parallel to one another, two slots formed in each of said supporting members, two slots formed in each of said slings, a pair of spaced parallel gripping rods extending substantially at right angles to said slings and supporting members and passing through said slots in said slings and through said slots in said supporting members, said slots in said slings and said slots in said supporting members for each gripping rod extending in different directions and crossing each other at the common points of engagement with the gripping rod, a connection of variable length interconnecting said first frame structure and said second frame structure, means to vary the length of said connection to displace said first frame structure relatively to said second frame structure such that displacement of said first frame structure relatively to said second frame structure in one direction causes the gripping rods to move inwardly towards one another to positions where they are adapted to grip the necks of a row of bottles and such that displacement of said first frame structure relatively to said second frame structure in the opposite direction causes said gripping rods to withdraw outwardly from one another to positions where they are adapted to release the necks of the row of bottles.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 in which the first frame structure comprises a casing having a top plate, end walls constituting said spaced supporting members and side walls extending downwardly from the top plate, the lower ends of said side walls terminating in curved flanges adapted to rest upon the sides of bottles, a pneumatic cylinder supported on the top plate, vertical slots in said end walls, and horizontal slots in said end walls disposed below said vertical slots for engagement with the bottlegripp ng rods.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 in which the second frame structure comprises a bridge member, a piston rod connected with said bridge member and extending in said pneumatic cylinder, guide posts extending downwardly from said bridge member through guide apertures in said top plate, brackets carried at the lower ends of said guide posts, transversely extending rods carried by said brackets, unions carried by said transversely extending rods, longitudinally extending rods carried by said unions and extending through said vertical slots in the said end walls, spaced slings suspended from said longitudinally extending rods, and two slots in said slings converging downwardly towards one another and coinciding with the horizontal slots in said end walls whereby to enable the bottlegripping rods to extend through both sets of slots. I 7

Name Date Number V Rickers Feb. 21, 1933 

